Child Protection Recognition and Response (CPRR) Course, Nepal
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Dr Deepak Upadhyay
The Child Protection Recognition and Response (CPRR) Course, designed for healthcare professional was developed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in the UK in response to the recommendations from Lord Laming Enquiry in 2003. In spring of 2016, a 4 days CPRR course was held at Kanti Children Hospital, Kathmandu delivered by the visiting Paediatricians and Nurses from the UK. The aim was to raise the awareness of child abuse and neglect, to encourage effective response including referrals to the appropriate agency and to support the development of a multiagency response in the Nepalese context when a child abuse is suspected. Since then a number of courses have been held between 2017 and 2019, led by the local doctors and nurse at Kanti Children Hospital, with support from the visiting UK Paediatricians & nurses. Between 2019-2021, with restrictions due to Covid-19, a series of virtual (ZOOM) CPRR courses were organised for the Paediatricians and Nurses from the regional and Zonal Hospitals of Nepal.
The course was rated highly from the participants, and subsequent stakeholders meeting was attended by the Ministry of Health representative, UNICEF, CWIN, Police department, local Journalist s and was successful in escalating this issue to the Government and non-Government stakeholders. There has been ongoing collaboration between the Nepal Paediatric Society and Nepal Paediatric Nursing Association and Child Rights group of Nepal.
These courses have been funded by two Nepal focussed charities, So The Child May Live (STCML) and Health Exchange Nepal (HExN), UK.
What we have achieved
1. More than 150 doctors and nurses have been trained, including a dedicated pool of trainers to take this work forward.
2. Two Senior Paediatricians from Kathmandu have taken part in Advanced child protection training programme at Alderhey Children Hospital, UK with huge impact on the progress of this project.
3. Two Nepal focussed Charities in UK, ‘So The Child May Live’ and ‘Health Exchange Nepal ’ have agreed to fund this project for further 3 years with the aim for continuing training of the doctors and nurses from the Hospitals in 7 provinces of Nepal.
4. The project has helped to identify the designation of Named doctors and nurses in participating hospital, and establishment of effective multi-agency referral and management pathways for the children presenting with suspected abuse or neglect.
5. The project showcases an example of effective collaboration between professionals from high-income and low-income countries for the best interest of children worldwide.
